Going Green – Cooking Oil Recycling on the Rise

There’s a scene from the critically acclaimed series ‘West Wing’ in which several alternative energy reps sit in a room in order to convince the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh Lyman, that their specific fuel alternative deserves the White House’s support. Each representative takes a turn presenting their message, and by the end Josh Lyman is not only tired, he’s also thoroughly convinced that each alternative has massive obstacles to overcome before being anywhere close to ready for use by the mass public.

Alternative fuels have certainly had their hiccups when it comes to production, which is why waste oil is so unique. Waste oil, and specifically waste cooking oil, is an alternative fuel source that just has to be collected, the production aspect happens automatically since it is oil that is used (most often) for cooking in restaurants. That’s why the waste oil industry is growing. Waste oil is easy for everyone to use, from large companies to individuals that just want to heat their homes or drive their cars.

Just last month Renewable Energy Generation Ltd. promised to develop four new power plants in the U.K. using waste oil. The plants themselves will cost over $39 million dollars to develop. The move has created a bit of buzz, not just because of the cost of development, but because some of that oil will come from the restaurants of the famous chef Jaime Oliver. This is a great example of waste oil use on a massive scale. This also isn’t a new endeavor. REG Ltd. already has four plants that generate both heat and power using waste oil.

On a smaller scale (but no less notable) EnergyLogic LLC of Nashville, Tennessee has just acquired the Firelake Manufacturing’s Waste Oil Heating business.

“With a growing economy, a significant decrease in the commodity price of waste oil, and other favorable market forces, we feel now is the time to both expand our product offering and our market reach,” says Rob Stevens, President and CEO of EnergyLogic.

With increasing opportunities in the waste oil industry and the growth that the waste oil industry has experienced as of late, it looks like it is the perfect time for EnergyLogic to make such a move.

Waste oil use is certainly on the rise as more and more people discover how easy it is to use, how cost effective it can be, and the difference it can make on our impact to the planet.

Smart Alternative Fuels is proud to be in the waste oil industry. We are proud to be able to serve our community by promoting greener, smarter living.

THIS BLOG POST REFERENCED THESE NEWS ARTICLES:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-30/u-k-power-company-mopsup- waste-olive-oil-from-jamie-s-italian

http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2015/04/15/energylogic-llc-acquires-waste-oilheater

To view the clip from West Wing click: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=7fkMR96I0sw